Improvement in corsets



L. M. 8L M. D. OHIPLEY.

Corset.

Patented Junei?, 1879.

INVENTORS ATTEST- MPEERS. PHOTOLITMOGRAPHER. WASHINGYON. D Cy UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE;

LUCIEN M.- CHIPLEY AND MARSHAL D. GHIPLEY, 0F ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

IMPROVEMENT -IN consi-21's.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 216,555, dated June 17, 1879; application liled December 17, 1878.

- To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, LUcrEN M. GHIrLEY and MARsHAL D. GEIPLEY, both of the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Corsets, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

The first part of our improvement consists in providing the corset with an additional busk or busks, arranged to fold over in front of and conceal the clasps.

The second part of our improvement consists in the combination, with said concealingbusks, of clasp-busks having flat clasps, and provided with a covering or envelope terminating in a iiap, to permit the ready attachment of said clasp-busks to or removal from the body ofthe corset.

ln the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view, showing` a portion of the corset-front,

l with the front busks thrown back in position for the clasping or unclasping of the corset. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view, showing the same parts as Fig. l, with the outer busks closed down over the clasps.

Portions of the body of the corset are shown at A. At B are shown the clasp springs or busks, enveloped by cloth or other suitable,

material, C. The cloth upon one side has a i flap, C', for attachment to the inner face of the body of the corset by stitching. The clasps are shown at c. They are flat, to admit of the inner side of the corset lying against them without being held at a distance or bulging at the point where the clasps project.

At the front edges of the corset-body are two springs or busks, D D, enveloped in the material of the corset, and having flexible connection with the body of the corset, so that they can be turned back, as in Fig. l, or folded together in front of the clasp, as in Fig. 2.

The stiftening D may be of spring-steel, or any other suitable material; or the busk or fly may be stiifencd by forming it of cloth stitched through or otherwise made stiff.'

The busks or flies D are folded back (see Fig. 1) when the clasps are being connected or disconnected, and while the corset is being worn the busks are folded together, so as to form a smooth front,.as in Fig. 2. When in the latter position the curves imparted to them by the wearer hold them in position without any special fastening.

The device may be modied in various ways without essential change in principle. For instance, a single broad busk may be used to cover the clasps in place of the two described.

To prevent the wear of the cloth by the clasps c, the cloth is cut away at c to allow the two members ofthe clasp to come together to take the wear.

Among the advantages claimed for our improvement is, that the outerbusks are removed so far from the person of the wearer that they are not liable to rust, and they cover up the part-s which are handled in clamping and unclamping, so that any soil resulting from this handling is hidden when they are closed down, as in Fig. 2.

The absence of clasp devices passing through the cloth of the busks D gives them a much better appearance than those in ordinary use, (where the metal clasps pass through the clo th,) and theirlasti ng qualities are also better,as they are not subjected to wear by the attachments, nor are there slits or other oriiices to allow the passage of the fastenings through the cloth. Such orifices are liable to become ragged.

Another feature of value is, that the busks D, by being devoid of fastenings, are not liable to be strained or broken. As thc busks D are made of plain strips of metal, they may be drawn endwise from their cover, and so the corset may be washed in their absence, and thus they (the springs) would not be subject to rust. and the corset could be washed with much greater ease.

The clasp-busks B are provided with flat clasps c, and are covered or enveloped with woven fabric or other suitable material, C, which terminates `in a flap, C', by means of which said clasp-busks may be readily attached to or removed from the body of the corset.

We are aware that it is not broadly new to attach clasp-beslis to corsets by a portion of ing-bnsks, D, of the clasp-busks B, having flat the cover or envelope enveloping,` said busks, clasps o, and enveloped With cloth or other and such We do not claim 5 but suitable material, C, terminating in a ap, C', V'Ve claim as our inventionl substantially as and for the purpose set forth. 1. The front busk or busks, D, arranged to LUGIEN M. OHIPLEY.

fold over the face of and conceal the flat clasps MARSHAL D. GHIPLEY.

or other fastenings, c, substantially as set Witneses:

forth. SAML. KNIGHT,

2. The combination, with the front conceal GEO. H. KNIGHT. 

